Nearly 100 Brentwood Students Suspended

BRENTWOOD (KDKA) — Several students and parents are outraged about the suspension of nearly 100 students in the Brentwood School District because they violated a computer policy.

“Personally, I have never been suspended a day in my life,” Domenick Henry, a suspended senior, said. “My record has been clean up until now and the whole situation in my opinion is simply ridiculous.”

Eighty-three students were suspended for using a computer program called “Ultra Surf” that circumvented the school’s internet filter.

“And get yelled at for not doing their work, they found a way to do their work,” Henry continued.

“We were basically just doing our work,” Shane Daly, a suspended senior, said. “Maybe some people – they were also using it for games – but I used it for my projects.”

The Brentwood School District says the students violated school board police 815 which defines acceptable use of internet, computers and network resources.

The district says it also violates the Child Internet Protection Act.

“Andy’s 18 so the Children’s Internet Protection Act does not pertain to him,” Jennifer Colaizzi said. Her son was suspended.

She thinks the blame should have fallen elsewhere.

“Kids should not have been punished for this, that they should have punished the person in charge of security, they should have been doing their job,” Colaizzi said.

Letters were sent to parents outlining the suspension for next Thursday. Their punishment also includes 15 demerits and suspension of internet access for the third nine-week grading period.

Calls to the Brentwood High School principal and the district superintendent were not returned.